RE: Buss Bar Sizing

[<evdl@ghiamonster.com>]

Nathaniel,

Check out the pictures section at http://www.ghiamonster.com.  About
half way down are pictures of the braided copper interconnects the Ghia
will be using.  The short ones shown in these pictures should be able to
handle over 1000 amps for 15 seconds.  Bill Dube' showed me how to make
these with copper tubing and braided copper wire.  He also sent charts
to help me determine the correct number of strands to carry that current
for that amount of time.

Braided copper interconnects are what Bill is using on the Killacycle
(and Megacycle?).  They're flexible so they get around the problem that
Mark is describing.  Another feature (?) in light of the Rich Brown-out
and the Wayland Plasma Event is that once their rating is exceeded, the
interconnects will melt away, acting as a sort of fuse between each
battery.

I made all the braided interconnects in those pictures, enough to make
buddy triplets with 84 batteries, using the thicker 3/4" copper tubing
and cutters you can get at Home Depot, braided copper wire I got online
from www.newark.com and a hammer all for around $250.

Steve

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ev@listproc.sjsu.edu [mailto:owner-ev@listproc.sjsu.edu]
On
> Behalf Of Mark
> Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 10:20 PM
> To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
> Subject: RE: Buss Bar Sizing
> 
> I'd be careful using copper bus bar for your interconnects.  I had
that
> on my EV when I first got the car, and I ended up melting 6 battery
posts,
> due to movement of batteries/bus bar.
> 
> If you can guarantee that the batteries won't move at all, and can
> bend/match
> up the copper to connect perfectly, then you will be okay.  If not,
you'll
> be unhappy, like I was.  I subsequently switched to 2/#0 cable, and
never
> had another melted post problem.
> 
> P.S. I have about 15 feet of 1/8th inch thick, 1 inch wide copper.
E-mail
> me off list if you want it, for just the cost of mailing it.
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
> >-- Original Message --
> >Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 17:58:08 -0800
> >Subject: Buss Bar Sizing
> >From: Nathaniel Martin <nbmartin@calpoly.edu>
> >To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
> >Reply-To: ev@listproc.sjsu.edu
> >
> >
> >Does anyone know of a good resource for buss bar sizing? I need to
find
> 
> >out what size bus bars to use for 1000A peak, 300A for 5 min, and
150A
> 
> >continuous.
> >
> >I've seen several charts of ampacity for bus bars, but none of them
> >state if the current they list is continuous or peak.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Nathaniel Martin
> >nbmartin@calpoly.edu
> >
> 
> Mark
> 1985 Pulsar EV
> * Love that EV grin! *